


Come Back To Me

by bughead_is_riverdale



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Jealous Betty Cooper, Jealous Jughead Jones, One Shot, Southside Serpent Jughead Jones, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2017-11-13
Packaged: 2019-02-01 23:12:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12714726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bughead_is_riverdale/pseuds/bughead_is_riverdale
Summary: Jughead breaks up with Betty when he moves to Southside High, only to realise that he made a big mistake when he sees her out on a date with someone else.





	Come Back To Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old one-shot of mine that I posted on tumblr a while back. Follow me on tumblr @bughead-is-riverdale

“This isn’t working Betts” the beanie-wearing boy said, his gaze cast downward to avoid looking into her bright green eyes, scared of the expression in them. He heard her sharp intake of breath and watched as her fingers curled inward, the nails threatening to break the already-fragile skin, and he hated himself immediately.

“What are you talking about Juggie?” she responded frantically, the pitch of her voice rising slightly. “What happened? Did I do something wrong?” her voice choked as her brain tried to recall anything that she might have done to bring this on. Ever since Jughead had moved to Southside High two months ago, she thought she had done a pretty good job of balancing everything. She still saw him at least twice a week when they went out for milkshakes, or took Hotdog for walks by the river; he even helped her in the garage sometimes. Admittedly he didn’t help her much, he just wiped grease all over her face and kissed her to the point of distraction. But she didn’t mind because she loved it, she loved him.

“No you haven’t done anything wrong” Jughead muttered, still staring at the floor. “We just don’t spend as much time with each other anymore and uh...” he knew he wasn’t convincing her. 

“Jug, don’t do this” she whispered. He looked at her then, and instantly regretted it. Tears had begun to spill from her sea-green eyes and her lip quivered slightly as she stared at him in shock trying desperately to read his expression. She forced her fingernails further into her palms in a desperate attempt to wake herself up from this nightmare, hot blood seeped under her nails and onto her fingertips and she felt slightly calmed by the sensation. “I’ll try harder” she begged, she realised how pathetic she must look as she wiped her eyes and nose on the sleeve of her pale blue cardigan, but she didn’t care. 

“No, Betty. You can’t change my mind. I’m sorry.” Jughead’s voice sounded foreign, almost robotic. He desperately wanted this to be over, so he could retreat back to his trailer and be miserable by himself, but he knew Betty wouldn’t give up that easily.

“Is there someone else?” she demanded, determined to find a reason for Jughead’s sudden change in heart.

“Yes” he lied.

 

Jughead hadn’t seen Betty in a month. Living on the Southside and being part of the Southside Serpents meant their paths didn’t cross and, if anything, this glaring fact just proved how much effort Betty had put in to their relationship. He knew that she was better off without him as he didn’t want her being pulled into the Southside, but his missed her green eyes and her laugh and –

“Earth to Jughead!” Toni teased, poking his arm playfully from across the table. He glanced up and smiled at the quirky pink-haired girl. She was beautiful with huge dark brown eyes and long lashes, olive-toned skin to match, and a mischievous smile. But she wasn’t Betty.

“Sorry Toni, I guess I’m just tired” he offered pathetically, making her laugh.

“Are you guys ready to order?” a familiar voice chimed. Jughead’s head snapped up, convinced that his mind was playing tricks on him, but it was definitely Betty standing in front of him. She was wearing the diner’s uniform – a tight-fitting yellow t-shirt tucked into dark red shorts – and her soft blonde hair was neatly curled into her usual ponytail, pink lip-gloss shining on her lips. He watched as her friendly smile faltered when she looked up from her notebook and her gaze met his. Glancing between him and Toni, Betty paled slightly and nervously tucked a loose strand of wispy blonde hair behind her ear. He watched her bite her lip, smudging her lip-gloss slightly, and his heart began pounding when her familiar vanilla scent perfumed the air around him.

“I’ll have onion rings and a chocolate milkshake, please.” Toni said, glancing curiously between Betty and Jughead.

“Of course!” Betty responded, a little too brightly. “And Jughead I’m assuming you’re having your usual?” She asked, staring at her notebook.

“Uh yeah, thanks Betts” She stiffened and he cursed himself for letting her old nickname slip off his tongue. 

“You don’t get to call me that” she stated calmly, her green eyes flickering towards him before she turned and disappeared into the kitchen. Jughead watched her go, regret painted all over his face as he set his jaw and turned to stare out of the diner’s window. All the feelings he had been trying to suppress had crept up on him at once and he wanted nothing more than to burst into the kitchen and beg for Betty back, he’d grovel on his knees if he had to, he’d do anything. Toni cleared her throat and he looked at her apologetically.

“You’re still in love with her.”

It wasn’t a question.

 

She hated him.

Betty kicked open her bedroom door and threw her bag across the room, she heard something smash where it landed but she didn’t care, she was already broken so it was almost fitting that everything was breaking around her. She slumped down on her bed and buried her already-tear-stained face into her soft pillows and cried further into the baby-pink fabric. She hated how he could make her feel like this, she hated how good he looked in his leather jacket, she hated his dark curls that escaped his beanie. She hated him, but she was still in love with him.

She had thrown herself into so many activities over the last month – cheerleading, waitressing, writing for the Blue and Gold – that she had managed to mute her feelings and almost expel him from her thoughts, but all that effort had come to nothing today when she stared back at his pale blue eyes and melted slightly. She cursed herself for taking the job at Pop’s. It was his favourite place and, even though he lived on the Southside now, she knew he was bound to come back to the diner. She wondered whether, subconsciously, she had taken the job for that exact reason. For an excuse to see him again. But she hadn’t expected to see him with another girl so soon.

Toni Topaz was everything that Betty wasn’t; confident, dangerous, exciting. She wore black fishnet tights and leather jackets while Betty rarely strayed from her pastel-coloured cardigans and denim jeans. Toni was whole, while Betty was broken.

Betty pulled out her phone and texted her best friend, Veronica Lodge, to update her on what had happened. A couple of minutes later, her phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Betty, I’ve decided you need to go on a date.” Veronica ordered. Betty snorted.

“Ronnie, I’m a mess. Nobody is going to go on a date with me. Besides I don’t want to date anyone.” Betty mumbled, embarrassed at the idea.

“That’s not the point!” Veronica insisted. “It will make Jughead jealous! Or at least show him that you don’t care about his stupid-ass anymore.” 

Betty hesitated. Since Jughead had the nerve to bring his new girl where she worked, why shouldn’t she go out on a date?

“Who did you have in mind?”

 

Jughead stood outside Pop’s diner, his heart pounding so loudly that he was afraid everyone could hear. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing here, he just knew that he had to see Betty again. After his encounter with her a couple of days ago, she was all that he could think about, and he realised that pushing her away might have been the biggest mistake of his life. Taking a deep breath, he pushed through the doors and approached Pop Tate at the counter, the older man smiled.

“Hey Jughead, what can I get for you?”

“I’m actually in here looking for Betty” Jughead admitted sheepishly, “Is she working?”

“It’s her day off, but she is right over there anyway” he said, pointing to a booth in the corner of the diner.

Jughead turned to where Pop was pointing. Betty was wearing an emerald green dress and red lipstick, and her beautiful blonde hair was curled around her shoulders, he always loved it when she wore her hair down. He fidgeted with his beanie as he approached her in an attempt to repress the memory of what her hair felt like to touch, but stopped in his tracks when he realised who she was sitting with. Reggie Mantle was sprawled across the seat opposite Betty wearing his classic letterman jacket and he was staring at Betty in a way that made Jughead want to punch him. Before he even realised what he was doing, Jughead stalked up to the table and, glaring at Reggie, he turned towards Betty.

“Can I talk to you outside?” he blurted out, suddenly desperate to get Betty away from Reggie and his prying eyes. Betty raised her eyebrows and stared at him blankly. “It’s important!” he insisted. She sighed and followed him out of the diner. Once they were outside she glared at him and folded her arms. 

“What?” she demanded harshly. 

“What are you doing with him?” he snapped, his anger at seeing them together momentarily getting the better of him.

“What were you doing with her?” Betty shot back, her green eyes flashed. “Did you really have to bring your new girlfriend to the diner where I work?” She hissed.

“She’s not my girlfriend” Jughead responded quickly.

“Oh really? But she’s the one you left me for right?” Betty almost shouted. There were tears welling up in her eyes again she turned to go back into the diner, when Jughead moved towards her and caught her by the arm.

“There was never anyone else” he whispered. She glanced up at his face, his blue eyes were pleading, earnest.

“But you said –”

“I lied.” He hesitantly reached out and pulled her towards him by her waist, she could smell his familiar scent of old leather and coffee and she wanted to curl into his arms and stay there forever, but she pulled back slightly, causing a flicker of pain to etch across his face.

“Why?” she murmured, her voice breaking. “We were perfect. Why did you ruin everything?” He wiped a tear off her pale cheek and looked down, ashamed of himself.

“I thought I was dragging you into the Southside, it wasn’t good for you.” He began.

“I’m not a child Jughead, you don’t get to choose what’s good for me” her voice was like ice, he winced.

“I know! That’s why I’m here! Betty I’m trying to fucking grovel if you’ll just let me!” he protested. She pursed her lips and waited for him to continue. “I’m an idiot, and I’ll completely understand if you don’t want me back because I fucked us up, and I’ll live with that for the rest of my life. But the last month has been miserable without you and I –” 

She cut him off as her lips crashed into his, pushing him into the shadows by the diner. He inhaled sharply and pulled her closer to him roughly, both of his hands gripping her waist, his fingers digging into her hips. Her lips were soft, but he was hungry for her and he deepened the kiss, prying her mouth open with his tongue and biting on her lower lip. Betty reached up and tangled her fingers in his dark hair, pulling on his curls gently and nearly knocking his beanie off. She pulled herself closer to him and felt the cool material of his leather jacket against the bare skin of her arms, he dug his fingers into her hips harder and she gasped. He broke away from the kiss and began working his way down her neck to her collarbone, peppering kisses across her exposed skin, trying to make up for the month they lost together, drinking in her vanilla scent.

“Come back to me, Betty Cooper” he murmured against her temple, her soft blonde hair caressing his cheek.

“I’m here” she whispered back.


End file.
